1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which discharges, to a designated discharge device among a plurality of discharge devices, a printing medium printed based on print data, a control method therefor, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
When printing an image including personal information, like a form or direct mail, conventional image forming apparatuses print while individually processing variable data formed from information common between records, and information different between records, like the address and name.
Variable data is data (data formed from information which changes between records) generated based on information managed in a database. Variable data is sometimes created as part of print data by an image editing apparatus, and transmitted to an image forming apparatus.
Image data common between records is generally stored as form image data in the internal storage device of an image forming apparatus while a corresponding job is processed. The common image data is composited with image data formed from information different between pages or records, and then printed.
Conventional image forming apparatuses generally include a plurality of discharge devices for externally discharging a printed material bearing an image. The function of the discharge device changes depending on the application purpose of the discharge device.
For example, a discharge device having a function of storing a large volume of printed materials has a cover to inhibit taking out or touching printed materials from the outside during printing in order to stably hold many printed materials.
There is a specific discharge device for discharging a printed material of a specific page or specific record during printing in order to check the printed state. The specific discharge device allows the operator of an image forming apparatus to easily view a printed material or take it out even during printing.
In a conventional printing system, when discharging a printed material of a specific page or specific record to a specific discharge device during printing in order to check the printed state, a printed material bearing the same image as that of a final product is discharged to the discharge device.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-329398, a technique of replacing variable data in print data with specific data before outputting a form has conventionally been applied to confirm the printed image of the form.
However, according to the conventional technique, one other than an operator who performs print processing may view or take out a printed material for checking the printed state during printing.
Particularly when a printed material bearing an image including confidential information or personal information, like a form or direct mail, falls into the hands of a person not permitted to view the printed material, the confidential information or personal information may leak from the printing system. The conventional technique suffers such a security hole in the printing system.
If printing continues without checking the printed state, in order to prevent the leakage of confidential information and personal information, the operator cannot grasp degradation of the print quality upon a change of the state of the printing apparatus over time. This may result in a poor-quality final product.